Package for flexible pouches and method of making the package



Oct. 25, 1966 J. B. CRAINE 3,280,968

PACKAGE FOR FLEXIBLE POUCHES AND METHOD OF MAKING THE PACKAGE Filed June 8, 1964 INVENTORV JOSEPH B. C'RAINE l A TTORNEY.

United States Patent Ofl ice 3,280,968 Patented Oct. 25, 1966 3,280,968 PACKAGE FOR FLEXIBLE POUCHES AND METHOD OF MAKING THE PACKAGE Joseph B. Craine, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Swift & Company, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed June 8, 1964, Ser. No. 373,259 9 Claims. (Cl. 206-4511) This invention relates to a shipping, storage, and display container. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a container suitable for use in the transportation, storage, and display of flexible pouches.

The substantial increase in the production of consumer size package food products constitutes one of the most important recent developments in the food industry. Large amounts of irregular shaped food articles, such as sliced meat products packaged in small household units, have been distributed for direct retail level selling for a considerable period of time. Generally, the irregular shaped products are packaged in flexible pouches; however, the use of flexible pouches to merchandise food products through self-service mass distribution channels presents several problems not common to other forms of packaging, such as cans or bottles.

A pouch package is in many ways ideally suited to small quantities of food product and is normally an inexpensive method for obtaining a high level of protection. Nevertheless, these pouches are more susceptible to damage by flexing than by impact or abrasion and, since the pouches are not rigid, the package and its con tents also may become damaged by crushing. Furthermore, irregular shaped articles are difficult to stock and are not suited to meet an orderly retail display.

In practice, irregular shaped products are packaged in pouches and placed in cartons to effect the necessary protection and supply the rigidity which the pouch lacks. However, this combination of pouch and carton is an expensive and complicated package unless the quantity of the material or its value is large.

To avoid the problems of damage and in order to supply a suitable display, a display unit is usually equipped with an intricate array of separating walls, supporting tabs, protective pads, etc. US. Patent No. 2,178,091 discloses a shipping and displaying container which is typical of those used to package pulverulent material, such as beverage concentrates or extracts. Such a packing system is suitable if the flexible pouches contain pulverulent matter or are substantially flat, for only if the packages are flat or fluid enough to become flat will the packing system with dividers, supporting tabs, protective pads, etc., restrain the pouches enough to allow shipment without damage.

On the other hand, repeated attempts to ship irregular shaped products, such as sliced dried beef in pouches, in accordance wit-h a method similar to that described in US. Patent No. 2,178,091, resulted in extensive shipping damage. The tests indicated that damage was caused by vertical vibration which resulted in fatigue folding failure at the package corners. While in some cases the fracture might be small, it is nevertheless sufiicient to cause bacterial contamination of the product resulting in irreparable damage to the food product.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive package unit which can be used effectively in the transportation of irregular shaped articles.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple package unit which serves as a protective unit, is ready for use at the point of sale when unpacked from the outer container, and functions as a display unit on store shelves, counters, etc.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method whereby the natural irregularities in shape and fill of pouches are used to provide a built-in cushioning action against damage.

Additional objects, if not specifically set forth herein, will become readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the invention.

Generally, the present invention comprises, as a package, at least one pair of open-top boxes having a rectangular bottom panel and four connected vertical panels. The two opposing side vertical panels are substantially of the same dimension and are trapezoidal-in-shape. Also connected to the substantially rectangular bottom panel is a low substantially rectangular front panel and a high substantially rectangular back panel. Placed within the boxes is a plurality of flexible pouches enveloping an irregular shaped product. The flexible pouches possess a parallel relationship to the back panel when placed within the box. Prior to mating the filled boxes, the top of each of the pouches is bent toward the back panel so as to form a discontinuous surface. In order to provide a spring-like cushioning action to hold the pouches in their respective boxes, the boxes are positioned such that the discontinuous surfaces of the pouches are mated and pressed together. The pairs of packaged pouches are then placed in a shipping container which can hold one pair or several pairs.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the flexible packages as they would appear on display in a retail store;

FIGURE 2 is a side View of one pair of the mated mitered boxes containing flexible pouches having their stops bent toward the back panel for shipment; and

FIGURE 3 is a side view showing a shipping container packed with a plurality of the mated, mitered boxes containing flexible pouches having their tops bent toward the back panel.

In FIGURE 1, the mitered box 10 is shown to have identical, trapezoidal-in-shape, side panels 11 connected by a substantially rectangular bottom panel, a low substantially rectangular front panel 12, and a high substantially rectangular back panel 13. Flexible pouches 15, containing an irregular shaped article, are positioned such that they possess a parallel relationship to back panel 13.

FIGURE 2 represents one embodiment of the invention and shows a pair of mitered boxes each of which is filled with flexible pouches 15. The top of each of the flexible pouches is bent toward the back panel 13 so as to form a discontinuous surface and the mitered boxes are positioned so that the pouches have a spring-like cushioning action which prevents damage and holds the pouches in their respective boxes. The boxes are held in position by securing means 16 which may take the form of tape, a metal band, cord, paper overwrap, film, etc.

FIGURE 3 represents another embodiment of the invention and shows a plurality of filled, mitered boxes placed within a shipping container 17. The material out of which the shipping container is manufactured is relatively unimportant and examples of such material include cardboard, strawboard, paperboard, pulp board, fiberboard, corrugated board, plastic sheet, etc. The dimensions of the shipping container are likewise immaterial; however, the walls of said container are generally positioned in such a manner that the filled, mitered boxes fit snugly within the container. In this connection, shipping container 17 serves the same function as securing means 16 as both compress the filled, mitered boxes so that the flexible pounches remain in a relatively fixed position.

More in detail, the mitered boxes consist of a five panel open-top carton having a rectangular bottom panel and four connected vertical panels. The opposing side vertical panels are irregular polygons with one angular edge being attached to a low rectangular front panel and a high rectangular back panel. The pouches placed within the mitered boxes are approximately the same dimensions as the back panel of the boxes. The filled, mitered boxes are packed in the shipping container in pairs, one box lying face up and the other face down as illustrated in FIG- URES 2 and 3. While the dimensions of the shipping container are immaterial, it is preferable that its shape is such that the center of gravity is closer to the bottom than to any of its sides. Otherwise, the resulting instability will influence distribution workers to place the container on its side. The preferred stability is accomplished by selecting .a shape in which the depth of the container is less than the length or the width, and the shape is, of course, a function of the number of pairs of boxes packed into it.

As can be seen, the instant invention provides a simple unit which, after being unpacked from the protective shipping container, is ready for use at the point of sale and functions as a display unit on store shelves, counters, etc. a preferred protective position, that is lying flat, while providing the most advantageous display on the shelf, namely, standing on edge.

Of particular importance is the fact that the top of each of the pouches is bent toward the back panel for the convenience of separating the filled boxes, with the pouches intact, from the shipping container. Also, the instant design removes the pouch corners from the path of vertical vibrations and supplies a means of dampening the horizontal vibrations which are of lower intensity.

While the type of product enveloped within the pouch may vary, the instant package unit was designed primarily for shipment and display of table-ready meats, such as sliced dried beef. Such food products create shipping problems not possessed by nonedible material since any fracture of the pouch, no matter how small, is enough to allow bacterial contamination of the product resulting in irreparable damage. Shipment of the food product in accordance with the package design of this invention insures against fracture of the pouch thus keeping the food product free from contamination.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the invention as hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

- I claim:

1. As a package, a pair of open-top, mitered boxes having a low rectangular front panel and a high rectangular back panel, each of said mitered boxes containing a plurality of flexible pouches in parallel relationship to the back panel, the top of each of said pouches being bent toward the back panel so as to form a discontinuous surface, said mitered boxes being positioned such that the discontinuous surfaces of said pouches are mated and pressed together whereby a spring-like cushioning action to hold the pouches in their respective boxes is provided.

2. As .a package, at least one pair of open-top, mitered boxes having a low rectangular front panel and a high rec-- This invention allows the product to be shipped in' tangular back panel, each of said mitered boxes containing a plurality of rectangular flexible pouches in parallel relationship to and being approximately the same dimension as the said back panel, the top of each of said pouches being bent toward the back panel so as to form a discontinuous surface, said mitered boxes being positioned such that the discontinuous surfaces of said pouches are mated and pressed together by securing means whereby a springlike cushioning action to hold the pouches in their respective boxes is provided.

3. As a package, at least one pair of open-top, mitered boxes having a low rectangular front panel and a high rectangular back panel, at least one of said mitered boxes possessing securing means and each of said mitered boxes containing a plurality of flexible pouches in parallel relationship to and being approximately the same dimension as the back panel, the top of each of said pouches being bent toward the back panel so .as to form a discontinuous surface, said mitered boxes being connected by said securing means and being positioned such that the discontinuous surfaces of said pouches are mated and pressed together whereby a spring-like cushioning action so as to hold the pouches in their respective boxes is provided.

4. As an article of manufacture, a substantially rectangular outer box containing a plurality of pairs of opentop, mitered boxes having a low rectangular front panel and a high rectangular back panel, each of said pair of mitered boxes containing a plurality of flexible pouches in parallel relationship to and being approximately the same dimension as the back panel, the top of each of said pouches being bent toward the back panel so as to form a discontinuous surface, said mitered boxes being positioned such that the discontinuous surfaces of said pouches are mated and pressed together by means of the walls of said outer box whereby a spring-like cushioning action is afforded so as to hold the pouches in their respective boxes.

5. As a package, at least one pair of open-top boxes having a rectangular bottom panel and four connected vertical panels, two opposing side vertical panels being of substantially the same dimensions and trapezoidal-inshape, said opposing side panels being connected by a low substantially rectangular front panel and a high substantially rectangular back panel, said boxes containing flexible pouches in parallel relationship to and being approximately the same dimension as the said back panel, the top of each of said pouches being bent toward the back panel so as to form a discontinuous surface, said boxes being positioned such that the discontinuous surfaces of the pouches are mated and pressed together whereby a spring-like cushioning action to hold the pouches in their respective boxes is provided.

6. A method for packaging flexible pouches containing irregular shaped articles comprising the steps of placing said pouches in open-top, mitered boxes having a low rectangular front panel and a high rectangular back panel in such a manner that the pouches possess a parallel relationship to said back panel, bending the top of each of said pouches toward the back panel so as to form a discontinuous surface and mating said discontinuous surfaces of said pouches whereby a spring-like cushioning acti oin Ciro hold the pouches in their respective boxes is pro- V1 e 7. A method for packaging flexible pouches containing an irregular shaped article comprising the steps of placing substantially rectangular pouches in open-top, mitered boxes having a-low rectangular front panel and a high rectangular back panel in such a manner that the pouches possess a parallel relationship to said back panel, bending the top of each of said pouches toward the back panel so as to form a discontinuous surface and mating said discontinuous surfaces of said pouches whereby a springlike cushioning action capable of holding the pouches in their respective boxes is provided.

8. A method for packaging flexible pouches containing food product wherein the natural shape of the pouch is utilized to provide cushioning and support against damage during transit, which comprises: the steps of taking open-top, mitered boxes having a low rectangular front panel and a high rectangular back panel and placing therein a plurality of flexible pouches, said flexible pouches being in parallel relationship to and being approximately the same dimensions as the back panel, bending the top of each of said pouches toward the back panel so as to form a discontinuous surface and mating said discontinuous surfaces of said pouches by means of compressing the pouch-filled, mitered boxes whereby a spring-like cushioning action to hold the pouches in their respective boxes is provided.

6 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the compressing is accomplished by placing the mated, pouch-filled, mitered boxes within a closely fitting shipping container.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,932,429 10/1933 Wellman 20644X 2,893,550 7/1959 Sandmeyer 20665 10 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

MARTHA L. RICE, Examiner. 

1. AS A PACKAGE, A PAIR OF OPEN-TOP, MITERED BOXES HAVING A LOW RECTANGULAR FRONT PANEL AND A HIGH RECTANGULAR BACK PANEL, EACH OF SAID MITERED BOXES CONTAINING A PLURALITY OF FLEXIBLE POUCHES IN PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP TO THE BACK PANEL, THE TOP OF EACH OF SAID POUCHES BEING BENT TOWARD THE BACK PANEL SO AS TO FORM A DISCONTINUOUS SUR- 